Carton-filling device



June 3, 1930. J, F, @R1-NER Y 1,760,959

CARTON FILLINGlDEvIcE June 3, 1930.

l CARTON FILLING DEVICE Filed Oct. 5, 1928 2 Shees-Sheet 2 PatentedlJune 3, 1930 UNITED STATES- PATENT oFFIcE l JOHN F. on'izivnn, oFBiIFr'ALo, NEW Yom:

l CARTON-FILLING DEVICE Applicationv led October, 1928. Serial No.309,987.

vices for dispensing ice cream, lard, andanalogous substances, or forfilling cartons with`such substances in measured quantities wherein thedevice is provided with an open ended holder orshell in which an openended carton is received, and the device with the carton therein isforced into a body of the substance to cause a portion of the substanceto-enter and vfill the carton throughthe adjacent open ends of the shelland carton.

In such devices, as heretofore constructed, however, the other or backend of the shell is usually closed by an end wall or part which isdetachable to permit the insertion and removalof the carton at that end.This is for the reason that these shells usually have a cutting wi re orbar which extends across the open end of the shell to permit thesubstance which has been forced into the carton to be severed from theremaining substance, or they are otherwise constructed so that thecarton cannot be inserted into the shell through the open end of thelatter. .It is obvious that in addition to the expensiveness orcomplication of such constructions, much loss of time results in placingthe empty carton in and removing the lled carton from the device.

' The principal objects of my invention are to improve and simplify suchdevices and to provide a carton filling device having a shell or holderconstructed 4with an open end into which the carton can be inserted,through which the latter is filled, and out of which vthe filled cartonis ejected from the device; alsoto provide a carton lling device having'40 its opposite end -closed, and aplunger movable within said shell forejecting the car@- ton therefrom; and also to provide means for ventingthe air from between'the bottom of the carton and said closed end wheninserting in'said shell by suction when withdrawing said device with thefilled carton from `a supj the carton, and for holding said cartonwithfvide an improved measuring element or carton for use with carton llingdevices, whereby delinite measured quantities of a substance can bedispensed; also to provide an element of this sort with novel means forventing the air from the carton when the latter is being filled; andalso to improve the construction of dispensing or carton filling devicesin other respects hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section,` 60 of'myimproved carton filling and-dispensing device, showing a measuringelement or carton being inserted through the open e'nd of the shell ofthe device.

Fig. 2 is a vertical, central section, on an 65 enlarged scale, showingthe shell of the device, with a carton therein, being inserted into amass of material to fill the carton.

Fig. 8 is a similar section thereof, showing the device, with the filledcarton ready to be withdrawn from the material.

Fig. iis a similar view showing the filled carton being ejected from thefilling device.

Fig. 5 is a plan view "of the device, with the stem" of the cartonejecting plunger in section.

Fig. 6` is a view, partly in section of the illed carton or measuringelement with its cover or closure member in .place thereon.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan view, partly 80 broken away, of the insideface ofthe bottom of the'carton, showing the valve which permits air tobe vented from the carton when the latter is being filled, and whichacts to j seal the vent when the carton is full.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view thereof, on line measure, and such' cartons,except 'as here- 95 after described, can be of any suitable con--lstruction. Y

The cartonv or measuring element A show comprises a cylindrical -ortubular body 10,

one'end of which .is-closed by an, end wall 153 of appropriateconstruction.

The carton filler or dispensing device comprises a hollow shell orholder 20 open at one end for the reception of the lcarton A, and closedat the opposite end, and a plunger 2l disposed in the shell and movablelengthwise thereof for ejecting the filled carton by means of anoperating rod or stem 22 which extends through said closed end of theshell. Preferably the shell 20 is cylindrical or tubular and its openend 23 isv formed with an annular cutting edge 25. The other end of theshell is closed by a transverse end wall 26, which, iQf desired, can beintegral with the side wall The plunger 21 is preferably in the form ofa flat disk of suitable size, which extends `transversely within saidshell 20, andis adapted, when retracted, to engage the end wall 26 ofsaid shell, see Figs. 2 and 3. When the plunger is in this position, aspace substantially the size of the carton is left Within the. shellinto which the carton A may be inserted endwise through the open end 23.The carton fits or closely engages the side wall of the shell with itsclosed end contacting with the plunger 21, and its open endsubstantially flush, or just within the open end of the shell, as shownin Figs. 1-3.

A transverse handle 28 is rigidly connected to the outer end of theplunger stem 22,

' the disk of the plunger being in turn rigidly secured to the oppositeend of said stem. This stem extends through the end Wall 26 of the shell2O and slides and is guided in a hole 30 preferably in an outwardlyextending boss 31 on said Wall 26. The stem' 22 and the hole 30 arepreferably made square or of other suitable cross sectional shape, so asto prevent rotation of the operating handle relatively to the shell 20.

Near the plunger disk 21, the stem 22 is provided with a notch 32 orother means for engagement by a latch 33 or other holding or lockingmember when the plunger is retracted, to hold the latter in thisposition. The latch 33 shown is pivoted at 34 on the end wall 26, and ismoved towards and held yieldingly against the stem by a spring 35. Theboss 31 is suitably slotted to allow the latch 33'to engage the stem 22.

'By moving the plunger 21 toits retracted position in which it will beautomatically locked by the spring pressed latch 33, and then insertinga measuring element or carton A into the shell 2() with its bottom endengaging the plunger and its open end adjacent the open end of saidshell, the latter with the carton, can be pushed into a mass ofmaterial, such as ice cream in a large container, by

gripping the handle 28 and forcing the entire device into the material.It will be noted that there will be no relative movement between anyparts of the device, as thus described, as long as the latch remains inlocking position.

When the carton A has been filled, the latter can be withdrawn from themass of ma.- terial by first rotating the device to sever the materialin the carton from the main' mass, and then pulling the device out ofthe mass by means ,of the handle. W'hen thus turning the device, thecarton will t-urn with the shell and break the plug of material withinthe car ton from the main mass substantially in the tiansverse plane ofthe open end of the carton.

The carton is retained in the holder or shell 20 by suction, and toexpel the carton, the latch 33 is disengaged from the stem, and theplunger moved toward the open end of the shell 20, thus forcing thecarton out ofthe latter, see Fig. 4. The cover 14 is then placed on theopen end of the carton.

In order to avoid resistance due to air compression between the end of acarton and the end of the shell 20 when the closely fitting carton A isinserted into said shell, and to prevent the entrance of air andbreaking the suction when pulling the device out of the mass ofmaterial, a suitable valve hole 41 is providedl in the end wall 26. Thevalve shown includes a ball 42 engageable with a seat 43 registeringwith said hole 41.

Then .the carton or measuring element A is inserted, the ball 42 will bemoved off its seat by air pressure within the holder to vent this air.Preferably a hole 44, registering with the hole 41 is formed in the diskof the plunger 21 to permit the air to escape past said plunger.

Vhen using a device of this kind, it is usually held in a substantiallyupright position while being forced into the substance. Thus the ballvalve 42, in the present construction, will be resting on its seat bygravity, Figs. 2 and Consequently when the filler is pulled upwardly outof the material, the carton will be retained in the shell by suction,which will act to hold the ball firmly on its seat, thereby preventingthe entrance of air through the valve 40 into the shell back of the endof the carton.

However, When expelling the carton from the shell 20, the device isnaturally held in a substantially horizontal or non-vertical position,as in Fig. 4, with the result that the ball 42 will roll away from itsseat and permit air to enter the shell and relieve suction therein, thusallowing theA carton to slide freely in the shell -20 when the plungeris actuated. y

In order to facilitate this latter operation, a hook or finger piece 45is fixcdon the inner end ofthe shell or holder so that the user canengage a finger under the hook 45 as shown in Fig. 4, and then bygripping the handle 28 with the same hand, releasing the latch 33 by onefinger, and closing the hand,

tions, and is .particularly adapted for use In order to avoid air frombeing trapped'in the cartons in the operation of filling the latter,which prevents the full capacity of the carton from being utilized, someof the filling ldevices heretofore proposed have been provided with asmall pointed tube or member for puncturing the bottom Wall of thecarton to permit the escape of air as the material is forced into thecarton. Such means are often ineffective, because small particles of thecardboard or other material of which the carton is formed, plug up orobstruct such members and prevent the air from escaping. Also theresultantihole made by such means often permits the escape or leakage ofpart ofthe contents of the carton.

The improved carton A of the present invention -is designed to overcomethese objecwith a carton filler or dispensing device, such as thathereindescribed, as the air between the bottom -of said carton and thematerial with whichv the latter is being filled is also allowed toescape through the valve 40, while nevertheless' no loss or leakage' ofthe substance from the filled carton occurs, and a predetermined ormeasured quantity of the material is dispensed each time a carton isfilled and ejected from the device.

For this purpose, the bottom wall 11 of the measuring element or cartonA is formed with a hole or aperture 50, and is provided with suitablemeans which, while permitting the hole 45() to remain normally uncoveredandthus allow the vair in the carton to'escape through said hole 50during the filling operation until the substance reaches said bottomWall, will, upon the engagement of the substance with said means, causethe latter to obstruct or seal said aperture 50.

Said aperture closing or sealing means, in the construction illustrated,comprises a flap valve' 51 which is preferably formed of a piece offlexible material secured. at one end to the inner face of the wall 11at one side of said aperture 50 and extending across the latter. Thefree portion of the flap 51 over the aperture is bent or curved so asJto leave the hole 50 unobstructed, see Fig. 2.

As the substance enters the carton or element A and approaches thebottom 11 thereof, the air in said carton will pass around the flapvalve 51 and out of the hole 50, through the hole 44 in the plunger 21,and out through the valve 4:0. Thev flap' valve 51 is sufficientlystift1 to prevent it from flattening due to the air pressure, but assoon as ythe substance in the carton comes into contact therewith in theact of forcing the filling the flap valve will bel flattened agalnst andseal'the aperture 50, see Figs. 3, 4 'and 6, so

device and carton into the substance,

comprising closed by an end wall and the other end open that when thecarton is removed from the filler, it will contain a full or measuredquantity of material. By then applying the cover, the contents will becompletely enclosed and no leakage thereof will-occur.

If desired, the flap valve 51 can be coated `on its inner face withadhesive, so that when the carton is filled with a`moist substance suchas ice cream, the adhesive will be mois- `tened, causing the valve 51 toadhere to the bottom wall of the carton and still more eectively sealtheaperture 50. 4

The filler or dispensing device described is relatively simple and isinexpensive to produce and will not readily get out of order. The cartoncan be quickly filled by its u se, and measured quantities of materialdispensed, as it is only necessary to insert a carton into the open endof the filler, shove thev filler into the substance a suiicient distanceto fill the carton, give the entire unit a twist by means of thenon-rotatable handle to separate the substance in the carton from theremainder, and withdraw the filler (with the carton retained therein bysuction) from the mass of material. The latch is then actuated torelease the plunger which can then be operated to eject and dispense thelled car- -ton vfrom the open end of the shell.

The foregoing filling and ej ecting operations can be performed by theuse of one hand,

leaving theother free to receive the ejected/ The carton, or measuringelement, by reason of the flap valve contained therein, will be filledto capacity as no air will be trapped between the substance in saidcarton and the bottom wall of the latter.

Claims:

1.- A carton filling and dispensingv device end of said carton and saidend wall ofthe holder and having an operating member passing through andsliding endwise in said end wall of said holder for ejecting the cartonv from said open end of said holder, an air vent valve at said closedend of said holder, and which opens during the .insertion of said cartoninto said holder to permit air between the closed ends of said holderand carton to be vented, and which is closableto prevent the entrance ofair into the holder so as to hold said carton in said holderv by suctionuntil ejected by said plunger.

2. A cartonfilling and dispensing device a tubular holder having one endand unobstructed to receive and support a tubular carton to be lled andwhich slidably' fits within said holder and has one end closed and alsohas an open end disposed substantially at the open end of said holder, aplunger in said holder between the closed end of said carton and saidend wall of the holder and having an operating member passing vthroughand sliding endwise in said end wall of said holder for ejecting thecarton from said open end of said holder, an air vent atsaid c losed endof said holder and an air valve at said vent which, when said device isheld in one position, acts to close said vent to create suction in saidshell behind said carton to hold the latter in said holder, and whensaid device is'held in another position, uncovers said vent to permitair to enter said holder back of said carton to relieve the suction andallow free discharge of said carton by said plunger out of said open endof said holder.

3. A carton filling and dispensing device comprising a tubular holderhaving one end open and unobstructed to receive and support a tubularcarton to be filled and which is inserted through said open end of saidholder and slidably fits within said holder and has one end closed andyalso has an open end disposed substantially at the open end of saidholder, a plunger in said holder back of the closed end of said carton,and an operating member movable lengthwise of said holder forreciprocating said plunger, means on said holder engaging said operatingmember for preventing relative turning movements between said operatingmember and said hold` er whereby said carton can be filled by graspingsaid operating member, forcing said holder open end foremost into a massof material, turning said member to cause a corresponding action of saidholder and carton to separate the substance in said carton from theremaining material, withdrawing said device with the filled carton fromsaid mass, and ejecting said carton endwise through said open end ofsaid holder by actuating said plunger by an endwise movement of saidoperating member.

4. A carton lling and dispensing device comprising a tubular holderhaving one end closed and the other end open and unobstructed to receiveand support a tubular carton to be filled and which slidably fits withinsaid holder and has an open end disposed substantially at the open endof said holder, a plunger in said holder between the closed ends o fsaid carton and said holder and having an operating member passingthrough and sliding endwise in said closed end of said holder forejecting the carton from said open end of said holder, an air vent valveat said closed end of said holder, said valve including a scat, a ball,which when said device is held in one position, rests on said seat and.closes said vent `to cause said carton to be held in said holder bsuction, and said ball being movable away ff'om said seat when saiddevice is held in another position to allow air to enter said holderthrough said vent to relieve suction and' permit free discharge of saidcarton through said open end of said holder by sa'id plunger.

5. A- carton filling and dispensing device comprising a tubular holderhaving one end closed and the other end open and unobstructed to receiveand support a tubular carton to be fillled and which'slidably Htswithinsaid' holder and has an open end disposed substantially at theopen end of said holder, a plunger in said holder betweenthe closed endsof said carton and said holder and having an operating member passingthrough and sliding endwise in said closed end of said holder which canbe grasped in the hand when using the device to fill said carton, meanson said holder engaging said operating member to prevent relative.rotation therebetween and a fixed finger piece on said holder with whicha linger of the same hand can be engaged to assist in effecting relativeendwise movement between said holder and said plunger to move saidcarton lengthwise of said holder for ejecting said carton from said openend of said holder.

6. In a carton filling and dispensing device, the combination of atubular holder having one end closed and the other end open, and atubular carton of predetermined capacity also having one end closed andthe other end open and which can be inserted into said holder throughsaid open end thereof and slidably fits within said holder with its openend at the open end of the latter, a valve on said holder which permitsthe escape of air from between the closed ends of said holder and saidcarton during the insertion of said carton, and said carton iaving avent to permit air to escape from between the substance which enterssaid carton and the closed end thereof to enable said carton to befilled to capacity, and means for closing said vent when the substanceengagessaid closed end of said carton.

7. In a carton lling and dispensing device, the combination of a tubularholder having one end closed and the other end open, and a tubular=carton of predeterminedcapacity, also having one end closed and theother end open and which can be inserted into said holder through saidopen end thereof and lslidably fits within said holder with its open endat the open end of the latter, a valve on said holder which permits theescape of air from between the closed ends of said holder and saidcarton during the insertion of said carton, and said carton having avent in said end wall thereof, a flap valve disposed within said cartonover said vent and which normally extends yieldingly in spaced relationthereto to permitr air to l 1,7eo,959

. escape from between the substance with which said carton is beingfilled and said end wall thereof and enable said carton to be illed tocapacity, and said valve being adapted tov yield upon contact of saidsubstance therewith so that it is pressed against said end wall to sealsaid vent.

8. A cartonl iilling device comprising a tubular holder having a closedinner end and an open and unobstructed outer endl throu which a tubularcarton to be filled can be s 1d into said holder so as to occupy thelatter with an open end of said carton disposed substantially at theopen end of said holder,`a

plunger in said holder between the inner end of said carton and theinner end lof said holder and having an operating member passing andmovable through said inner end of said holder for ejecting the cartonfrom the holder, said holder with the carton therein beinginsertable`open end foremost into a body of material to iill saidcarton, said inner end of said holder having an air vent through whichair can escape from the holder as the material enters the carton, andmeans cooperating with said air vent to close the same and prevent airfrom passing therethrough into said holder, whereby, when the holder iswithdrawn from the body of material the carton and material therein willbe retained in the holder by external air pressure.

` JOHN F. ORTNER.

